Me and the lady at the pool.

Ok. I go to the adult water aerobics class every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning. It's a nice group of older men and women. One of the women who comes to class is a drinker, I won't use the word "alcoholic" because I don't know that she is. But the woman has beer on her breath every time she shows up for class.

Our class meets at 9:30 a.m., so it is safe to make the assumption that she has a beer or two or three for breakfast. Ok. That's the background. By the way, did I mention that she is also very very skinny.

After class today, I was sitting on the bench outside of the pool waiting for the bus to pick me up and take me up to the gym.

This woman sits down next to me, lights up a cigarette and says, "Do you need a ride home?"

"No," I answer, "I am waiting for the bus to go up to the gym".

(Like I would be silly enough to get into a car with a drinker.)

She says, "Oh, it's a good thing you go the the gym, you really need it."

(My mind says GRRRRR)

She then says. "Which gym do you go to?" as she blows smoke and beery breath into my face.

I say, "The one at the coffee shop."

She says, "What do you do there?"

I say, "Just the usual, treadmill, circuit training stuff."

She says. "How long do you stay at the gym?" with more smoke and beery breath.

I say, "About an hour or so, maybe a little longer."

She says, "Honey, you really should stay there longer, you would lose weight if you exercised more."

I nod my head and mutter "mmmha" through closed lips while the evil person in my brain is saying bad things."

She blows out more smoke and beery breath and says, "Do you eat fruits and vegetables? You really should eat more fruits and vegetables and not as much junk food"

Through clenched lips, I nod my head and mutter "mmmha" again as the evil person in my head is wondering why someone who drinks beer for breakfast is giving me advice on a healthy diet.

With more beery breath, she the says, "I'm a vegetarian and eating a lot of vegetables really clears your body out and keeps you from being so heavy."

Once again, I nod my head and mutter "mmmha". Now the evil person in my brain wants to deck her.

I reach over to my swim bag and open the zipper front pocket where I keep my gum. I pull the pack of gum out and I say (ever so innocently and sweetly), "Would you like a stick of gum to cover up the beer breath?"

For some reason she made a "Hrummmf" sound and got up and walked away.

I really need to work on my compassion, understanding and empathy. That evil person in my head runs amok sometimes.